James Island (South Carolina)
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James Island is one of South Carolina's most urban Sea Islands and is one of the six distinct areas of the city proper of Charleston, South Carolina. The island is separated from peninsular downtown Charleston by the Ashley River, from the mainland by Wappoo Creek and the Wappoo Cut, from Johns Island by the Stono River, and from Europe, England and Africa by the Atlantic Ocean. It lies inshore of Morris Island and Folly Beach.
Fort Sumter is located on an island just off the eastern tip of James Island and was the site of the first battle of the Civil War. Bombardment of Fort Sumter was started from Fort Johnson which was located on the eastern portion of James Island.
For much of the period before and after the formation of the United States, James Island land was largely agricultural with several plantations making up much of the island. Growth accelerated after WWII and James Island became a bedroom type community suburban to Charleston.
As of the 2000 census, the United States Census Bureau reported that 33,781 people lived on the island. Approximately one-half of the island lies within the city limits of Charleston, and the remainder of the island is either unincorporated or lies within the new Town of James Island. There has been political discord concerning the incorporation of portions of the island into the City of Charleston. The town of James Island has been founded on three separate occasions and the first two incorporations were overturned as a result of legal suits filed by the City of Charleston. The third incorporation attempt is also currently in contention in another legal suit by the city. The suit is being deliberated by the South Carolina Supreme Court, and a decision will be rendered this summer.[1]
As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of James Island is included within the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area and the larger Charleston-North Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Samuel Smalls, the man upon whom the novel Porgy and subsequent opera Porgy and Bess are based, is buried in the cemetery beside James Island Presbyterian Church.
Comedian Stephen Colbert spent some of his childhood on James Island. Football players Langston Moore of the Detroit Lions and Roddy White of the Atlanta Falcons both attended James Island High School and played football while at school there. MLB player Gorman Thomas also played baseball for the Trojans.
The public schools on James Island are part of the Charleston County School District and include Harborview, Stiles Point, James Island and Murray-LaSaine Elementary Schools; James Island and Fort Johnson Middle Schools, and James Island Charter High School. The high school interscholastic teams are the Trojans and wear blue and orange uniforms.
